(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an instrumentation recorder system, and more particular to an instrumentation recorder system which reads an instrumental signal from an input module so as to record instrumental data derived from the instrumental signal, and transmits the instrumental data recorded therein to an output module.
(2) Description of the Related Art
An instrumentation recorder system which reads instrumental signals supplied by plural input modules, so as to record the instrumental data from the input modules in a data memory, is known. In the instrumentation recorder system, a recorder main part is provided to record the instrumental data in the data memory, and the recorder main part includes plural slots for accommodating the input modules being inserted. The input modules inserted in the recorder main part are changeable depending on the type of the instrumental signals supplied by the input modules. Among the input modules being inserted, there are an analog-input module and a digital-input module, the analog-input module supplying an analog instrumental signal to the recorder main part, the digital-input module supplying a digital instrumental signal to the recorder main part.
In a conventional instrumentation recorder system of the above type, some of the slots of the recorder main part are allocated for the analog-input modules only, and the other slots of the recorder main part are allocated for the digital-input modules only. For example, it is impossible to make use of the digital-input module inserted in one of the analog-input slots for the analog-input modules only. The number of the analog-input modules that can be effectively used with the recorder main part or the number of the digital-input modules that can be effectively used with the recorder main part is limited.
There is another conventional recorder system in which a particular one of the slots of the recorder main part is allocated for an output module only. When the output module is inserted in the recorder main part, the recorder main part transmits the recorded instrumental data to the output module. Similarly, in such a recorder system, it is impossible to make use of the output module inserted in one of the analog-input slots or the digital-input slots. Because the output slot for the output module only must be included in the slots of the recorder main part, the number of the input modules that can be effectively used with the recorder main part is further limited.